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INGLEWOOD, CA — Belgium will be short-handed against European champion Spain in the 2026 World Cup quarterfinals after it was confirmed midfielder Amadou Onana tore his right ACL in the round of 16 win over the U.S. men's national team.
Onana was on crutches after Belgium's 4-1 win over the USMNT, and Red Devils coach Rudi Garcia had sounded pessimistic the Aston Villa player would be able to play again in the World Cup. Tests later confirmed it.
"This is devastating news, both for him personally and for the team," Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene said on Tuesday, July 7. "We immediately consulted with Amadou and with Aston Villa to agree on the best approach to his recovery. Over the coming days, we will jointly determine the next steps in his medical treatment and rehabilitation."
Hacene said Onana would stay with the team through the quarterfinals. Belgium plays Spain in the quarters on Friday, July 10, in Los Angeles. The winner of that game will play France in the semifinals on Tuesday, July 14.
The injury happened early in the round of 16 match. In the 18th minute, Onana was challenging for the ball with USMNT star Christian Pulisic when they collided. Onana immediately went down to the ground, holding his right knee as he called for the Belgian staff to come on the field to assist him.
Onana did get up on his own after a few minutes of being attended to, limping his way toward the bench as he tried to see if he could still continue. However, he was in visible pain trying to test the leg and frustraingly went to the bench as his teammates tried to console him. Belgium made a substitution, taking out Onana for Hans Vanaken in the 21st minute.
In his second World Cup tournament, Onana had played in every match for Belgium in the 2026 edition, including two starts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amadou Onana injury update: Belgium player out for rest of World Cup
Continue reading...
Onana was on crutches after Belgium's 4-1 win over the USMNT, and Red Devils coach Rudi Garcia had sounded pessimistic the Aston Villa player would be able to play again in the World Cup. Tests later confirmed it.
"This is devastating news, both for him personally and for the team," Belgium team doctor Brahim Hacene said on Tuesday, July 7. "We immediately consulted with Amadou and with Aston Villa to agree on the best approach to his recovery. Over the coming days, we will jointly determine the next steps in his medical treatment and rehabilitation."
Hacene said Onana would stay with the team through the quarterfinals. Belgium plays Spain in the quarters on Friday, July 10, in Los Angeles. The winner of that game will play France in the semifinals on Tuesday, July 14.
How did Amadou Onana get hurt?
The injury happened early in the round of 16 match. In the 18th minute, Onana was challenging for the ball with USMNT star Christian Pulisic when they collided. Onana immediately went down to the ground, holding his right knee as he called for the Belgian staff to come on the field to assist him.
Onana did get up on his own after a few minutes of being attended to, limping his way toward the bench as he tried to see if he could still continue. However, he was in visible pain trying to test the leg and frustraingly went to the bench as his teammates tried to console him. Belgium made a substitution, taking out Onana for Hans Vanaken in the 21st minute.
In his second World Cup tournament, Onana had played in every match for Belgium in the 2026 edition, including two starts.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Amadou Onana injury update: Belgium player out for rest of World Cup
Continue reading...
